Chapter 313

Chapter 313. Spoils of War (5)

Right after the mana of Shelver Vilkzion had waned, I quietly gazed at the ruined Central Temple.

“They sure went all out destroying it.”

While Shelver seemed to believe that I had caused this mess, it wasn’t me who had raided and destroyed the Central Temple.

To explain this situation, I needed to go back several minutes to when I had left the mine and squeezed myself through the hole used by the enemy.

Beyond that hole lay a multitude of monsters of a legion scale.

Since my goal was to retrieve the spoils rather than engage in battle, I tried my best to avoid confrontation. Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find the hole connected to Gemal.

I simply had to follow where the massive number of monsters was heading.

Of course, there was a bit of commotion and fighting with mages who discovered me.

However, crossing over to Gemal through the hole wasn’t particularly arduous.

By then, the siege by the monsters had already commenced.

I wrestled with a dozen mages who had trailed me through the hole, trying to escape.

They were not young prodigies, but experienced mages who had reached middle age.

“They were slower in mana quantity and manifestation speed than Eril or Moltan Bell.”

They were much more skilled in battle.

Knowing their limits, they exercised caution and did not hesitate to coordinate with other mages.

Thanks to them, I truly experienced a hectic struggle after a long time.

Then, as I noticed the Barrier of Patience trembling, I forcibly penetrated it by pouring divinity into it.

“To think that mages were in the midst of setting up an enchantment magic right there.”

Mages who followed me through the barrier witnessed the scene.

I couldn’t discern what thoughts crossed their minds upon seeing the wretched state of mages who opted for loyalty over betrayal.

Yet, it seemed their downfall must not have been too satisfying to them.

For they had begun to clash with holy knights, furiously attacking me who wrecked their sanctuary, clearly consumed by anger.

I had no reason to stop members from both enemy factions from brawling with each other, so I quietly stepped back and observed the situation.

About the magic, I learned only then.

I had heard the mages examining the enchantment magic in my place, muttering among themselves.

When looking at the results, the mages successfully killed the holy knights.

In return, the mages who were treated like slaves met death with their wrists and necks severed.

‘After that,’

The expression “lost their minds” might be precise?

The enraged mages rushed straight into the Central Temple.

Anxiously, without even thinking to call for reinforcements from their main forces.

They spent every bit of what they possessed as if there was no turning back.

Their deaths due to mana depletion were dismal one after another.

The ruins now unfurling before my eyes were the result of their dismal deaths.

“……..”

I felt no particular emotion about this situation.

As I had once remarked, I was quite similar to Shelver Vilkzion in human nature.

I was rather satisfied with the internal conflict between my enemies.

Thanks to it, I had successfully managed to eliminate Shelver Vilkzion, who I hadn’t expected to remove so easily.

Moreover, I took care of those troublesome radicals en masse.

The tragedy occurring here held no greater value beyond that.

“This was a place I had to visit regardless.”

So, one could say it turned out well.

I could gather the spoils left here without exerting much effort.

Originally, my secondary destination was precisely this Central Temple.

Removing my gaze from the ruin, I went searching for a path.

Due to all the buildings collapsing, what could be called a path wasn’t really available.

Yet, having a guide was not ——— a significant problem.

「The Trait Inheritance Candidate is being activated.」

「A divinity available for seizing is within a 1 km radius.」

“Here.”

After a few minutes of following the arrow pointed by the Trait, I found the body of Haley, the apostle of Temoria.

Rummaging through her corpse, I found the amethyst earring bestowed to the second apostle of Temoria’s relic.

「Will you seize the divinity? (Y/N)」

Without hesitation, it was a yes.

After absorbing Temoria’s divinity, the collection of spoils continued.

「The Trait of the Inheritance Candidate is being activated.」

「A divinity available for seizing is within a 1 km radius.」

Following the still visible arrow, I eventually discovered a spiral stairway leading underground.

Below the World Tree altar, in the deepest basement of the Central Temple, what welcomed me there were relics stored by the 7 great orders.

‘They were originally kept in the temple located in the region where the relic’s rightful owner was born.’

I heard it had changed to gathering them at the Headquarters while retreating as the frontline kept being pushed back.

In that process, instances where relics, like the Order of Palao’s, were left behind without retrieval occurred.

As a result, only 29 out of the 41 relics recorded were amassed here.

With the number of relics handed down to current apostles being high, the ones left in storage barely totaled 13.

‘The ones brought to the Earth by the apostles have either already been entrusted to me or are under negotiation regarding ownership rights.’

I expressed my willingness to buy the relics at a high price.

8 out of the 14 relics carried by the apostles were already in my possession.

Either the divinity remaining in those relics had been absorbed or seized.

I was now aiming to sweep up even those left in Bihar.

“Not bad at all.”

Though not an enormous amount, it was enough to replenish what had been consumed so far.

The spoils gathered in the temple weren’t limited to that.

After absorbing all the divinity contained in the relics, I stumbled upon an unexpected space.

Possibly due to the shock from the collapse occurring above ground, a part of the floor in the basement had collapsed.

Thanks to this, I could glimpse a lower level than the relic storage room.

What lay there were armaments organized in an orderly manner.

The problem was that these items seemed somewhat familiar.

In expanding the collapsed floor and jumping down for a closer comparison, I opened the VIP Shop.

“What…..? Unbelievable….. So, they were brought here?”

As expected, what was neatly stashed in the basement were the items I had seen in the VIP Shop.

Not every item was present.

Yet, those with descriptions about the history or famed figures of the Order were prominently displayed.

The total was roughly about 20 pieces.

“Jackpot.”

To claim items from the VIP shop bearing costs of thousands to tens of thousands of achievements here.

“It would be stupid to leave these behind.”

However, my sub-space pouch wasn’t enough to hold all of them.

“In that case, I should utilize another space.”

Without a flicker of hesitation, I tore apart the gate transfer voucher I had recently purchased.

I then promptly began transferring the legendary items into the newly appeared gate entrance.

Instead of the sub-space pouch, I used the location of the gate as a temporary storage area.

The plan was simple, move everything inside, and block the entrance to prevent access.

Lending these to guild members would certainly augment their power significantly.

Although it was akin to looting the Order’s treasure vault, I felt no great guilt.

But there was a hint of displeasure.

“How is there not even a single spear?”

There were swords, daggers, hammers, axes, shields, and chain armor, but no spear.

“I thought I’d switch if given the chance.”

With a sigh, I looked down at Kerax’s spear.

This spear clearly possessed a will of its own.

Previously, it had been reasonably quiet, only revealing itself in the fleeting moments of danger I faced.

“Recently, it had begun speaking so much.”

Kerak had consistently attempted to converse with me ever since I attacked the holy knights for the first time.

– Are you really going to kill all those innocent people?

– Are you planning to commit such heinous acts just to exclude a few evildoers?

– What crime could they possibly have?

Since I had already made my decision, no words from Kerak could sway me.

However, it was irritating.

‘I no longer require its mana amplification effect.’

While currently, there wasn’t a better spear than this.

I resolved within myself that I’d definitely switch to a legendary-grade spear when it eventually appears.

Having steeled myself, I exited the basement.

Immediately thereafter, my steps headed toward the east of the Central Temple, where the imperial city of the Atar Empire was located.

***

“Th-the barrier, the barrier has vanished!”

The scream came from Isola, the noble princess of the Atar Empire, as she glanced out the window.

Usually beautifully radiant, she was now pale as white.

Not even the emperor’s darling could escape the horrors of war.

Since Gemal became besieged by monsters, Isola had been almost incessantly crying.

Her screams intermittently unnerving others were merely a bonus.

As a result, her appearance, once celebrated as the most beautiful in the Atar Empire, had become exceedingly gaunt.

“Did something happen to Lady Haley? Wh-what happens now? Th-th-the monsters have completely surrounded Gemal!”

“W-w-we’re not sure either……”

“I must see Father, everyone move aside!”

Pushing aside the maids accompanying her, Isola ran with all her might.

All she wanted was to pour out her fears into the safest and strongest refuge she knew, her father, and be reassured of her safety.

However, upon arrival, she found not the usually hearty and steadfast emperor, but a pathetic, terrified old man who was spreading fear all around him.

“What on earth has happened! You promised we could hold on for several more days!”

Momentarily observing the emperor hurling various objects in his fit of rage, Isola timidly inched closer, still trembling with fear.

She believed that once he noticed her, he would embrace her kindly as he always did.

Then, she could find solace in his arms as she always had.

“F-father… The barrier is gone. I’m so scared….”

It should have gone that way.

“You feckless girl! Running here in fright instead of showing some composure during such a crisis?”

Already overwhelmed with fear, the emperor had no time to take care of his daughter.

Instead, he yelled at Isola and drove her away.

Then, he cried out the name he was familially taught to despise.

“Send a message to Vecarm immediately!”

Why was the emperor shouting a name he learned to associate with betrayal?

“They asked for provisions claiming they wouldn’t advance any further as long as the front line was held! Something is clearly wrong!”

Before suspicions could arise, shocking words had already erupted from the emperor.

A truth she had never dared to imagine.

Frozen briefly with the shock over hearing it.

Isola soon was apprehended by knights and began being dragged back to her quarters.

Nonetheless, Isola didn’t even know where she was or where she was being taken in her state.

“F-Father collaborated with Vecarm……?”

So was the emperor a traitor?

Or was Vecarm actually not a traitor?

Unable to comprehend how her known world had flipped upside down, she was at a loss for how to process her thoughts.

In the torrent of confusion and shock,

“Wow, you really came out at the perfect time to be snatched.”

a foreign voice slipped in, and THUD!

A heavy pain enveloped her senses taking her consciousness into darkness.

Damned System